COLUMBIA, S.C. — Federal officials say that South Carolina's 46 counties are eligible to apply for their share of $8 million in infrastructure improvement grants that focus on America's rural water systems.
"It gets real bad on that one curve down there," Michael Koerner, a Richland County resident, said about flooding on roads near his home.
Koerner said rain, especially during hurricane season, causes flooding on the main roads he takes.
"Flooding on Congress Road every time it rains," Koerner said. "I've had to pull a few people out the ditch from hydroplaning when they hit that water,"
Roads like the one Koerner mentioned could be eligible for a federal grant through the 2022 Disaster Circuit Rider Technical Assistance program. It focuses on wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste issues caused by natural disasters.
"This particular funding announcement is to provide technical assistance to help rural communities in South Carolina recover from presidentially declared disaster from Hurricane Ian," Dr. Saundra Glover with the South Carolina branch of the USDA said.
Glover said more than $8 million in grants is available for which rural communities can apply.
"This funding is to provide funding to nonprofits, public bodies, and tribal nations to apply for grant funding to provide technical assistance to those same types of entities, counties and municipalities, communities," she said.
She said this money could help identify problem areas in rural counties across the state. While the money could help with recovery, it could also assist in improving wastewater systems.
"It's also to deliver training and other resources to operators and managers and other water system personnel," Dr. Glover said.
Applications for the grant close on Oct. 30. Glover said rural communities in the state could see grant money as soon as the end of October.